Bollin on Business: Learn to grow a positive attitude

In making the rounds of area businesses I have seen a great contrast in the actions of local business owners during these challenging times.

Some are busily improving their structure, strengthening their brand, evaluating their product offerings, and planning new creative marketing plans.

Others seem to want to curl up in a ball and “wait it out.”

Still others emit a veiled anger over the current state of affairs.

There is no question that our lives are affected —positively or negatively —by socio-economic conditions.

The mindsets of our customers are also greatly affected by a wide variety of external factors … the economy, political uncertainty, health, the weather, etc.

Sometimes, we feel inundated with so many external factors that affect our businesses that we forget to address one key ingredient that we are always in control of, and the one that can make or break us … ATTITUDE.

Attitude is infectious. And we broadcast our attitude to others 365 days a year.

I learned this very early on in my career—not from a customer, but from my dog.

I love dogs—particularly golden retrievers. It seems like they have a genetic attachment to yellow tennis balls and my Chelsea was no exception.

Retrieving was her job, and the joy of those countless hours of throwing those wet, slimy spheres for her to return to my hand will be with me forever.

Every night I would return home from work to be met at the door by that wet black nose and a mouth full of furry tennis ball.

She couldn’t wait until we went outside and played. Then, every once in a while, I would carry the frustrations of a bad day at work home with me.

The instant I opened the door Chelsea would take one look at me—her tail would stop wagging, the tennis ball would drop to the floor with a dull thump, and she would turn away and lay down with ears drooping to the floor.

Clearly, Chelsea sensed my emotions and attitude … just like your customers sense your emotional state.

Eventually, I learned that I could control my attitude.

I learned to sort out the things that we can do nothing about from those that we can deal with.

I learned to “grow” a positive ATTITUDE.

From a business perspective, we cannot control the stock market. There is no way that we can regulate the price of copper, a barrel of oil, a loaf of bread.

Yet, we CAN grow our businesses in challenging times. We CAN be successful in our marketplaces. You CAN make money when business is tough to get. How?

1. Clear your mind, get away from it all. Then, write down your description of who you are—as a business, and what value you think you are providing to your customers.

2. Think, really think, about why your customers are coming to you and why they should keep coming back.

How can you make their lives easier, happier, and serve their needs?

3. Believe in your products and yourself. Do you believe, really believe, that the products or services that you are providing are the best possible for your customers? Can you make your customers understand why you are excited about that product or service?

4. Write down your goals, for this year, in three years, in five years. What do you want to be when you grow up?

5. Write down how you feel about what you do and/or what you sell.

Now that you have all of that information compiled, create a plan of action and implement the plan.

Your confidence in providing the best products and services to your customers will begin to shine through.

Your joy in helping your customers get what they need will envelop them as well.

You will grow a positive ATTITUDE, it will become infectious, your customers will sense it, your business will thrive, and your competition will wonder how the heck you do it.

Mark Bollin is marketing director of the Green Valley News and Sun. Contact him at mbollin@gvnews.com or 547-9760.